Prosecutors in Valparaiso, Chile, have formally accused volunteer firefighter Francisco Ignacio Mondaca and National Forestry Corporation (CONAF) official Francisco Pinto of intentionally setting wildfires that devastated central Chile in February, claiming over 130 lives.
The allegations state that Mondaca executed the arson under the direction of Pinto, who is described as the mastermind behind the plan. Both men are currently in pre-trial detention as authorities continue their investigation.
Regional prosecutor Claudia Perivancich revealed that evidence suggests the duo coordinated their actions to align with optimal weather conditions to maximize the fires’ impact. “We have material that shows that they agreed to act jointly when the appropriate meteorological conditions arose to ensure that the fires occurred,” Perivancich told reporters.
Investigators discovered devices made of cigarettes and matches at each of the four locations where fires ignited on February 2. Prosecutor Osvaldo Ossandon indicated that Mondaca has been linked to six previous fires in the area.
The court has granted a six-month period for the investigation to be completed, including further examination of missing persons cases and analysis of the suspects’ cell phones.
The February wildfires were Chile’s worst natural disaster since the 2010 earthquake and tsunami that left more than 500 dead. The country, along with other parts of South America’s southern cone, has been experiencing severe heat waves—conditions experts attribute to climate change and the El Niño phenomenon.
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Chile firefighter, forest official linked to wildfires that killed 130
cgtn.com
